Tag Archives: helpful tips

Now that winter is over and spring has officially started, it’s time to check your tires’ air levels. Cold weather makes tire pressure fluctuate, so get yourself a good pressure gauge if you don’t have one, and follow these steps on how to put air in tires.

First, find the valve stem on the inside of the tire, uncap it, and put the end of your pressure gauge into the stem to check the pressure. If the pressure is lower than the psi suggested in your owner’s manual, you need to add air.

The easiest way to do this is to go to a gas station. Most have consoles where you can put air in your tires for a quarter. Park close to the air pump. Just like when you checked the pressure, unscrew the cap on the valve stem.

Start the machine and place the tip of the air pump into the valve stem and let the air flow in. If you hear a loud rush of air, it probably isn’t secured properly, so wiggle it around. Check the pressure as you go. When you’re done, recap the valve stems and repeat as needed on the other tires.

While it may seem like just another inconvenient service appointment, tire rotations are actually a very important piece of the car maintenance puzzle. Without regular rotations, your tires will wear unevenly, not only destroying the tires themselves prematurely, but causing other issues, too.

So, just how important are tire rotations?

Your tires wear differently based on a number of factors, including the position of the tires on the vehicle, the condition of your suspension, and your overall driving style. Rotating your tires every 3,000 to 6,000 miles (check your owner’s manual) encourages your tires to wear evenly over time.

Front wheel drive vehicles will almost always wear the front tires down more rapidly, since those tires carry the majority of the car’s weight, and do all of the steering and thrusting. More often than not, rear wheel drive cars will also wear down on the front tires faster, since 80% of braking is accomplished with the front tires.

Get the most out of your tires by having them rotated on a regular basis. You’ll find that your car not only drives better, but it will be more efficient and help to keep your alignment and transmission in good shape.

Give us a call at Crawford Buick GMC today and make an appointment to have your tires rotated!

In order to prepare you for buying a new or used car, we have created a small guide of tips that will give you insight into what to do before you make the big decision. There are different benefits to buying a new or used car, and there are multiple ways to finance a car in various credit situations. There are a lot of factors that go into buying a car and we’re here to help.

Know Your Credit Score: Knowing what type of credit you have will allow you to walk into a dealership and realistically know what type of offers you potentially qualify for. YoungMoney advises to check your credit score with these three bureaus: Experian, Equifax and TransUnion .

Create a Budget: It’s important to know what kind of budget you have when it comes to buying a car. In different situations, buying a used car might be your best bet, in others; you could qualify for a better offer when buying a new car. If you have a lower credit score, purchasing a great used car could be a key step in helping to repair your credit.

Do Your Research: It’s important to do some research before coming into a dealership. This will help you pinpoint what you’re looking for and, in turn, will make it easier for you to relay that information to your sales person.

Bring Your Documents: If you’re serious about purchasing a car, it’s important to bring the proper documents with you. Be prepared with a recent pay stub, recent bill, driver’s license, and personal references (shoot for three).

Look for Added Bonuses/Options: We offer discounts for recent college grads and military members and lots of others. If you’re not sure if you qualify for extra discounts, look online or simply ask your salesperson. Finding additional bonuses like these could definitely help when buying a new car. Also looking at other options like leasing, using a co-signer, or being a first-time buyer could all help you in the process of buying a car.

The most important step in buying a car, whether it is new or used, is to ask as many questions as possible. Don’t be afraid to go overboard when it comes to research because after all, you’re making a large, lifetime purchase. For additional information on what you can do before you decide to buy, give us a call at Crawford Buick GMC.